The embodiments herein relate generally to systems for measuring and recording a body's vital signs such as blood oxygen levels, respiratory characteristics, heart electrical signatures (electrocardiography or ECG), heart rate, blood pressure and temperature for health monitoring applications.
Currently there exist several systems that use multiple sensors connected to a single base unit, which is able to collectively measure all vital signs. These integrated units still require a user to connect two or more sensors to a particular location on the body. For example, a conventional pulse oximetry system used for the measurement of blood oxygen comprises a sensor attached to a user's finger, an oral thermometer requires placement under the tongue or arm, an infrared thermometer is placed in the ear canal, an ECG sensor requires two probes placed across the heart, and most blood pressure monitors use either ausculatory or oscillometric methods, which require a cuff to be worn on the user's arm. These systems have limitations because they are bulky or heavily power dependent and/or they require multiple attachments and actions by the user in order to measure and record the vital signs data.
As such, there is a need in the industry for a system that can detect and record all critical vital signs with a single action by the user.